Mount Kailash lies in the southwestern part
of the Tibet autonomous Region of
China. At 6,714 m (22,027 ft), Mount Kailas is the highest peak in the Kailas
Range of the Himalayas . Mount Kailas is separated from the Great Himalayas
chain by a channel that is drained in the northwest by the Sutlej River and in
the southeast by the Yarlung Zangbo River (the extreme upper Brahmaputra River
). Mapam Lake , lying just south of Mount Kailas at 4,557 m (14,950 ft), is one
of the world's highest lakes.
Mount Kailas , which has religious
significance for both Hindus and Tibetan Buddhists, is an important pilgrimage
site. For Hindus, the peak is the home of the god Shiva, while Tibetan
Buddhists equate the mountain with Mount Sumeru.
For
Hindus, Mt. Kailash is the sacred abode of Lord Shiva, 'The God of Destruction'
of evil and sorrow. Hindus consider this mountain as eternal heaven and the
center of soul and spirituality. As the legend has it, Lord Shiva sits atop Mt.
Kailash meditating and practicing yoga. The mountain is assumed to be the
center of the world and the four rivers flowing through Kailash dividing the
world in four different regions. In fact, the famous rock cut Ellora caves in
Maharashtra is named after Mt. Kailash. The walls of this cave have many
carvings related to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.
